Water-elevator.



No. 790,563. 4 PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

- w. A. DOUGLAS.

WATER ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23. 1905. F v 2 BHEETSSHEET 1.

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No. 790,563.! r PATBNTED MAY 23, 1905. w. A. DOUGLAS.

WATER ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23. 1906.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

i WILLIAM A. DOUGLAS, or ANACORTES, WASHINGTON,

WATER-ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,563, dated May 23, 1905. Application filed January 23, 1905. Serial Iio. 242,363.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anacortes, in the county of Skagit and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Water-Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My-invention pertains to water-elevators, more particularly water-elevators for use in irrigating apparatus; and it contemplates the provision of a simple and efficient water-elevator arranged to be actuated by the current of the stream in which it is located and one embodying such a construction that it is readily adaptable to streams of different depths.

With the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claim, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the elevator constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention as the same appears when in proper position in a stream. Fig. 2 is a top plan View illustrative of the elevator, the means for bracing the main frame thereof, and the means for receiving water from the elevator and conveying the water to the adjacent shore. Fig. 3 is a view taken at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2 and illustrating the elevator in end elevation; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the blades of the elevator and the bucket carried thereby.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which- I A is a stream the current of which is as sumed to move in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. l. B is one shore of the stream, and C is the main frame of my novel waterelevator. The said main frame G is preferably made up of mudsills a, comparatively high uprights b, rising from the downstreammudsilla, comparatively short uprights 0, rising from the other mudsills a, longitudinal bars d, arranged on and connected to the uprights, cross-bars 6, connecting the said longitudinal bars, braces f, interposed between the uprights c and the bars 01, braces g, interposed between the bars d and the upper portions of the uprights b, and upright bars 7e, fixedly connected to and arranged parallel with the upper portions of the uprights b. The said main frame 0 is arranged longitudinally of the stream A and parallel to the shore B, with its comparatively high end downstream, as best shown in Fig. 1.

D is a tie-beam fixed in the shore or bank B and connected to the main frame 0, so as to assist the mudsills a in retaining the main frame in the position shown relative to the shore B.

E is a fiume supported by the uprights b and the upright bars it, so as to receive water from the buckets presently described and leading from the upper portion of the frame 0 laterally to the shore.

F F are sprocket-wheels carried by a transverse shaft 76, journaled at the upper end of the bars 71, of the main frame.

G G are sprocket-wheels carried by a trans verse shaft Z, disposed below the shaft is, and H H are sprocket-wheels carried by a transverse shaft m, arranged at the opposite end of the main frame with reference to the shaft Z.

Mounted on the sprocket-wheels F, G, and H are sprocket-belts I, the upper stretches of which pass over idlers J on the main frame (J, as best shownin Figs. 1 and 2. At intervals of their length these sprocket-belts I are connected by transverse blades K, which are fixedly connected to certain of their links and are disposed at right angles to the belts, as best shown in Fig. 1. On their forward sides, with reference to the direction of travel of the belts I, the blades K are provided with buckets L, which have for their purpose to take water from the stream, elevate the same, and discharge it into the flume E, to be conveyed to the shore.

In the practical operation of my improvements it will be observed that the current of the stream A, acting against the rear faces of the blades K, will continuously move the sprocket-belts I in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 1. It willalso be observed that when the sprocket-belts are moved in the direction indicated by arrow the buckets L, as they pass around the sprocket-wheels G, will take water from the stream and will then elevate the water and discharge the same into the flume E, with the result that a constant flow of water through the fiume and to the point of use will be assured.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 20f the drawings, the transverse shaft 922, bearing the sprocket-wheels H, is carried at the outer end of a vertically-swinging supplemental lever or frame M, which supplemental frame ishinged on a transverse rod 9', mounted in the main frame. The outer portion of the said supplemental frame M is connected by a cables with a drum t, mounted on the upstream portion of the frame C and provided with a hand-wheel a and designed to beheld against casual retrograde rotation by a pawl o coacting with a ratchet '20. By turning the drum t in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 1 the attendant of the apparatus is obviously enabled to quickly and easily raise the supplemental frame M, while by disengaging the pawl o from ratchet w the attendant is enabled to as readily lower the said frame M.

The shaft Z, bearing the sprocket-wheels G, is carried at the outer or forward end of a vertically-swinging supplemental lever or frame M, which frame is hinged adjacent to its rear end on a rod 0c, mounted in the main frame 0. Said frame M is connected by a cable .2 with a drum a, mounted on the main frame at the downstream end thereof. The said drum (0 might be of the same construction as the drum t and might be similarly equipped without involving a departure from the scope of my invention. I prefer, however, to provide the drum (4 with a spur-gear b and to intermesh said spur-gear with another spur-gear 0, carried by a crank-shaft d. which crank-shaft is also equipped with a ratchet wheel 0, designed to be engaged by a pawl f. By tu rning the shaft (Z in one direction the apparatus attendant is obviously enabled to conveniently raise the supplemental frame M, while by disengaging the pawlf from the wheel 6 the attendant is enabled to as readily lower the supplemental frame.

rial advantage when it is remembered that streams are of different depths and it is necessary for the line of travel of the lower stretch of the elevator to be at a certain distance below the surface of the water and above the bed of the stream in order to enable the current to exert its full force against the blades K.

It will be gathered from the foregoing that inasmuch as my novel elevator is designed to be actuated by the current of the stream and requires but a minimum amount of attention the cost of maintaining the elevator in operation is trivial. ltwill also be gathered that notwithstanding the simplicity of its construction the capacity of the elevator is eonsiderahle and it may be depended on to continuously supply water to the flume E.

I have specifically described the construction and relative arrangementof the parts included in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of the said embodiment. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to the said specific construction and relative arrangement of parts, as such changes or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A water-elevator comprising a main frame, verticallyswinging sum'ilemental levers or frames arranged in opposite ends of the main frame and hinged at their inner ends thereto, rotary supports arranged at the outer ends of said supplemental levers or frames, means arranged on the main frame and connected with the supplemental levers or frames for raising and lowering and adjustably positioning the supplen'iental levers or frames relative to the main frame, and an endless elevator passed around the rotary supports on the main frame and supplemental levers or frames and having blades and also having buckets on the forward sides of said blades.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VILLIAM A. DOUGLAS.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES S. OBRIEN, H. M. LOVELACE. 

